It was as if the long-buried secrets were clawing their way to the surface, leaving us all gasping for air amidst the debris of our shattered illusions.
The darkness spilled from Mathias like ink in water, its tendrils reaching out. His now-shadowy form rose, wrapping his hands around Malik’s neck and hauling him to his feet. Malik’s face began to turn an alarming shade of purple as the shadows coiled around his throat, squeezing tighter. I felt a surge of panic and bolted forward, Roman at my heels.
“Mathias,” I screamed, my voice raw and desperate. The chaotic scene around us was a blur. All my focus was on Mathias and the life he held in his hands.
Malik’s eyes bulged, and his face turned red as Mathias’ fingers tightened around his throat.
“Stop this!” I pleaded, tears streaming down my face. “He’s just upset. Please don’t hurt him. I’m your granddaughter. If you care for me at all, let him go.”
Mathias was beyond reason, his eyes ablaze with a wrath that darkened the air around us.
“I reunited you with Roman and Olivia. I gave you Rosie. I let you live. I healed you,” he said, his voice a thunderous rumble that shook the room. “And now you question me? Do you know what I do to those who do not accept my kindness? I bring them down to their knees!”
My hands shook as I reached for the shadowy strands, trying to pull them away from Malik’s neck. They were cold and slippery, resisting my touch like living things. Beside me, Roman grappled with Mathias, trying to break his concentration to disrupt the flow of his dark power.
“Please, Mathias, if you love me!” I said, my voice breaking with fear. My mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of secrecy and lies that had ensnared us all. “Let Malik go!”
Roman’s face was etched with confusion, mirroring my own bewilderment. What game was he playing, where we were but pawns oblivious to the rules? The questions circled in my head, a whirlwind of doubt and suspicion, but no answers came.
“Please,” I whispered again, a last-ditch effort to reach whatever humanity was left within Mathias. “I know you love me. Don’t do this.”
The tension in the room felt like a bowstring drawn taut, ready to snap at any moment. In that unbearable silence, I waited, hoping against hope that my plea had found its mark.
Mathias’ hand dropped to his side, and the darkness choking the air recoiled back into the shadows. Malik staggered backward, gasping for breath, his face flushed with rage and humiliation. He straightened, his chest heaving as he locked eyes with me, his expression raw and unforgiving.
“I don’t need your pleading or begging for him to stop,” he said, his voice hoarse but laced with defiance. His dark gaze shifted to Mathias, who stood silent, a storm still swirling in his ancient eyes. “I thought I was dark, but there’s a bigger monster at play.”
Pushing past the tension that hung between us like a heavy curtain, Malik turned on his heel. “I’m done here. I’m going to the caves to dig for the moon dagger. That is still our best lead.”
“I’ll go too,” Roman said from beside me, determination lining his words.
Malik faced Roman. “No, you need to protect your wife,” he countered, his eyes briefly softened as they met mine.
I stifled the urge to protest; I didn’t need protecting. Roman’s posture told me he was torn, so I touched his arm.
“Go with Malik and calm him down,” I said. “I’ll be here with Lee. He’ll protect me.”
Roman’s gaze bore into mine, filled with warmth and adoration. He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine as if they were made of feathers. Then he kissed me, a soft and gentle embrace that spoke volumes without a single word. I could feel the love and tenderness pouring from him, warming every inch of my body. The world stood still as we shared a sweet, tender kiss that filled my heart with joy.
As we slowly pulled apart, my hand instinctively reached up and pressed against my racing heart. Roman smiled softly. He stooped down to press a tender kiss on my swollen belly, his voice filled with anticipation as he whispered, “I can’t wait to meet you, little one.” As he rose to stand back up, our eyes met and locked in a powerful gaze that seemed to ignite the air around us with fiery passion. In that searing instant, it was as if time stood still and nothing in the world existed except for the two of us and our unborn child.
Without another word, Roman followed Malik out of the room, their footsteps a fading echo against the stone floors. The departure left a vacuum, and into it settled an awkward silence. Mathias, Lee, and Alina arranged themselves around the dining table, an uneasy truce settling among us.
“Please, forgive my outburst,” Mathias said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. As our gazes locked, his eyes scoured mine for recognition, revealing the kind man my grandfather used to be before he showed me the evil that lurked inside.
I sighed, the anger and fear ebbing away. It wasn’t easy, but family ties had a way of binding even the most frayed hearts.
“Our one weakness is family,” Mathias said quietly. “I want to be a happy family and be whole.”
The words felt heavier than I expected, laden with the hope that we could somehow move past the secrets and the darkness that seemed to shadow our every step.
Mathias settled back into his ornate chair, the ancient wood creaking. Shadows flickered across his face as the candles on the table danced and swayed.
His deep voice cut through the tense air, its low rumble resonating with authority. “You must understand, Olivia, everything I told you this morning about my life was true. But yes, Malik is right about me orchestrating this plan against Balthazar. I am the mastermind behind it all. For too long, he has been a dangerous and ruthless monster, constantly trying to kill you and those you love. I created a plan to eradicate him once and for all.
“I had Malik play his part in it. He summoned Marcellious to get close to Balthazar and retrieve his dagger and your mother’s. I couldn’t do it myself because Balthazar and I have a long and bitter history.”
Mathias’ words hung heavily in the air, punctuated by the crackling of the candles and my heart thumping as I processed everything he had just revealed.
